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Isinbayeva wins women's world pole vault title

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It was a first global title for the 31-year-old two-time Olympic champion since she won at the Beijing Games in 2008, and made a mockery of suggestions that her powers are waning and retirement beckons.

It was a first global title for the 31-year-old two-time Olympic champion since she won at the Beijing Games in 2008, and made a mockery of suggestions that her powers are waning and retirement beckons. (AFP)

Isinbayeva completely dominated the event in the run up to those Olympics in the Chinese capital, breaking the world record an incredible 28 times (13 indoor and 15 outdoor), before and just after, as she revolutionised the event. (AP)

But she finished sixth on her last outing at the worlds, in Daegu two years ago. On home soil in front of an expectant crowd at the Luzhniki Stadium, there could be only one Isinbayeva who turned up - one to win. (AP)

"It was the best ever support," said Isinbayeva, who confirmed she would be taking 18 months out to have a baby with the goal of making a comeback at the 2016 Rio Olympics. "I felt like I was at home, that everyone was behind me. I absorbed that and it resulted in a gold. The support was just colossal." (AP)

Amid roars from the best crowd yet at the stadium, Isinbayeva needed two attempts to clear that height, but a cool vault over 4.75m and suddenly all the pressure was on American Olympic champion Jennifer Suhr, who had entered at 4.55m. (Reuters)

Germany's Silke Spiegelburg, fourth in the London Games, then joined the party with an equally comfortable vault over the same height, a season's best, Cuban Yarisley Silva sailing over shortly after. (AFP)